White Lotus
by Puppeteer of Hearts
Summary: Valentine's Day in-game. Hamuko gets a surprise call ...


(Feburary 14th, 2010)  
>Hamuko woke up with a soft groan, feeling the sunlight hit her eyes. She was so tired … so damn tired … But she had to hold out until Graduation so she could tell everyone she had to fall asleep … Pushing herself upward, the auburn girl looked at the time. "… I'm late for class … Didn't someone try to wake me up?" Perplexed, she thought for a moment before sighing and lying back down. "I'm pulling good grades, I won't die from missing a day." About ready to snuggle back into the blankets, she stopped when her cell phone went off. "Is it Junpei checking up on me?" Grabbing the phone, she put it to her ear. "Hello?"<p>

"_Hey." _

The voice on the other side of the conversation nearly made Hamuko drop the phone.

"_Heh … you ain't in class … you wouldn't have answered otherwise. You think you can get to the hospital? I … I want to see you." _

"S … Shinjiro …" tears were running down Hamuko's face.

"_Yeah, it's me … I … I really need to see you, alright? Just … get down here. I already told the doctor you'd swing by …" _His voice hadn't changed at all, and still sounded as gentle and soft when he had talked to her just half a year ago. Hamuko smiled and gave her agreement, whispering to him as she hung up and got dressed. The conversation, as short as it was, had given her the energy she had needed to get up and out of bed.

Smiling, she looked at the small packets she had on her desk; finally, she'd be able to give them to him …

* * *

><p>Shinjiro sat up in his hospital bed, looking out the window as he waited. The doctors had been shocked when he had woken up two weeks ago, after nearly four months of lying in a comatose state. It had shocked them even more when he had asked for Hamuko, instead of wondering where he was, or how he was still alive. It had taken two weeks to work them over for him to have a visitor, enough time to put him through some physical therapy and detox sessions.<p>

And now, he was at least able to sit up for a longer period of time and get to the bathroom without help. Chuckling, he felt his hair – pulled back in a loose ponytail until he felt like cutting it – brush against his back and neck. 'Hamuko's going to have a field day when sees how long it is …' the thought, although amusing, did bring a thought to the forefront of his head.

Something was wrong.

It was the only way he could describe it; Castor – calmed down and somehow far more docile than earlier – radiated worry whenever the thought of Hamuko crossed Shinjiro's mind. He had only been there for a brief part of the final battle, but at the same time, he knew that it was enough for him to figure out that things won't end well.

But when Akihiko had showed up a few days ago … the silver-haired boxer had no idea about Personas, and Castor couldn't reach through – let alone sense – Pollux. He had been talking about graduation, finally going on a date with Mitsuru (about damn time too, Shinjiro thought), and about the boxing tournament, but nothing about Shadows and Personas.

Even Ken – who had found out about them being brothers in the lull through some means or another – didn't speak of them, but instead gushed at Shinjiro, apologizing for him nearly getting killed in the 'car accident' that had been used as a cover story for their mother's death. The elementary schooler had talked for hours before eventually falling asleep at his bedside. It had been touching, but that, Akihiko's lack of memory about it as well, and what he had seen at the final battle, he was worried.

The sound of his door opening made him turn to look; there was Hamuko, wearing her orange sweater and plaid skirt, carrying a couple of packages. "… Hi …" She smiled at him, red eyes wet from what was clearly crying, and walked towards him. Shinjiro could do nothing but smile back, hugging her close. "I … Happy Valentine's day, Shinji." Snuggling into the hold, Hamuko let her head rest on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Shinjiro didn't respond vocally, instead placing a kiss to the top of her head and hugging her. She even _felt_ like she was in danger, and after Castor brushed against her Personas – or _Persona_ now, as there seemed to only be one – the light and energy it sent to Shinji's brain felt like it was getting weaker and far more tired than it should be.

"Sorry I was such a dumbass …" kissing her forehead, Shinjiro gave her a soft smile. "But I'm good now; the doctors said that I just need a few more months of therapy before I'll be able to leave." Hamuko's red eyes widened at that, but the smile was worth it. "After that, I'll stick with you, and actually be the brother that Ken needs." Chuckling, he blushed. "How'd he find out anyway …?"

"Takaya kept going on about 'Cain and Abel', so eventually, the two of us pieced it together." Hamuko's voice was soft, and she handed the packages to him. "Here you go; the other one's a belated Christmas gift."

Shinjiro winced. "… You were here that entire night, weren't you?" He had felt her there, at the edge of his consciousness; that wasn't how their first Christmas should have gone. Hamuko's response was a simple kiss and a giggle, making Shinjiro sigh in exasperation as he opened up the first gift. When he saw the inside, he did a double-take. It was a small pocketwatch, but it was clearly made out of fresh silver, a winged moon engraved on the front. "Hamuko, this …"

"I had a good part-time job, and Ri helped with the rest." Smiling, she kissed him again. "Don't feel bad; you living was the best gift I could have gotten." Giggling at Shinjiro's bright blush, Hamuko nodded at the larger box. Getting the hint, he picked it up and slowly opened it up.

The first part was chocolates, and if Shinjiro knew Hamuko, it was a box of honmei. Taking a small bite of one, he chuckled and nodded; yup, honmei. Shaking his head and kissing her, he moved to the second part of the gift, and couldn't help but chuckle. In there, nestled into tissue paper, was a raven pendant. It was small enough to be tucked under a shirt, but it was well made, a pair of red stones marking out the eyes.

"It's beautiful, Hamuko." Smiling, he kissed her full on the lips. "I'll have to work my ass off to make it up to you on White Day." Hamuko's chuckle was sad, and he noticed it. "? Hamuko?" The fear from before came back, and it only doubled when Hamuko blushed and looked aside. "Hamuko, please … talk to me."

Hamuko gave him a sad smile, nestling against him again. "SHInji, I … I have to go to sleep." Looking aside for a moment, she gave a sad laugh. "No, I won't die, but … my soul has to leave my body to seal Nyx away. At least until there's something weakening Erebus enough for me to come back." Seeing Shinjiro's confused, worried look, she gave the best explanation she could. "I … I don't know when I'll wake up though, Shinji … It could take years."

"I don't care." The words were out of Shinjiro's mouth before he could stop himself, looking right at the shocked Hamuko. Not letting himself stop, he kept talking. "I don't care if I have to wait for years, Hamuko. You waited for me, even though I'm an ass who doesn't deserve you. I … I can wait for you, no matter how damn long it takes for you to wake up."

"Shinji …" Hamuko was crying again, happy tears that wouldn't stop. Smiling, Shinjiro just kisses her and hugged her close.

"When you wake up, I'll take you as my own. I promise." Kissing her forehead, he smiled. "I know it might not seem like that much, but … it's all I can do for now."

"I love you."

...

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_I love you … _

_I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner …_

The thought crossed Shinjiro's mind one year later, Valentine's Day 2011, as he sat at Hamuko's bedside. The flowers next to her bedside were sunflowers, her favorite. He chuckled and shook his head, seeing a couple of lavender flowers in there as well. That was probably Akihiko or her sister at work, and it made him smile.

Looking at the flower in his hand, Shinjiro couldn't help but feel it worked best from him. Smiling, he felt the light weight of the pendant and the watch as he leaned over and kissed her cheek, placing the white lotus he had bought for her on her chest.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Hamuko."

* * *

><p><em>Flower Language<br>_Sunflower: Pure/lofty thoughts  
>Lavender: Endurance<br>Lotus: (hanakotoba flower language) Far from the one he loves.

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><p>Something short and sappy for valentines day. I AM working on the serious stuff, but I'm gaming, going to college, and job hunting. That and I HATE HATE <strong>HATE <strong>the chapters I'm working on at the moment.

(ALSO, please don't point out that Hamuko's supposed to die in canon. Fuck the Answer, i like the vague, obtuse ending we got in the original P3, and that's what I'm sticking to aside from Guiding light.)


End file.
